I'm dealing with a very similar situation and your post really resonates with me! I'm 64 and have been on early retirement benefits for about two years. Like you, I work part-time (at a local bookstore) and got caught off guard this year when some unexpected overtime during our holiday rush pushed me over the earnings limit. What I've learned from my research and talking to others here is that your FRA year (2026) will definitely be more manageable. You'll get that higher earnings limit (likely around $59,000-60,000) that only applies to your January-July earnings, and the penalty rate drops from $1-for-$2 to $1-for-$3 if you do go over. Plus once you hit FRA in July, you're completely free from earnings limits forever! For your current $1,240 overage, they'll probably withhold around $620 from your early 2026 benefits, but you should get advance notice. One thing I'm planning to do differently next year is have a conversation with my manager about getting advance notice of busy periods so I can make informed decisions about extra shifts. The tracking spreadsheet idea that others mentioned sounds really smart too. I'm going to start monitoring my earnings monthly instead of just hoping I stay under the annual limit. It's frustrating to navigate these rules, but we're both so close to FRA when all this stress goes away permanently. Hang in there!

I'm also approaching my FRA next year (turning 67 in August 2026) and have been dealing with similar earnings limit stress! What really helped me prepare was calling SSA in October to get specific information about my situation. They confirmed that for 2026, the earnings limit for the months before FRA will be around $59,520, and crucially, they only count earnings from January through July (the month before I reach FRA). One thing I learned that might help you: if you're concerned about going over the limit again next year during your busy spring season, you can actually request that SSA temporarily suspend your benefits for specific months when you know you'll be earning more. This gives you more control than having them surprise you with withholdings later. Also, make sure you understand both the annual AND monthly tests for your FRA year. Even if your total January-July earnings are under $59,520, if you earn more than about $4,960 in any single month before FRA, they might still withhold benefits for that specific month. The good news is that July 2026 will be here before you know it, and then you can work unlimited hours without any penalties! I'm counting down the days myself. All these calculations and stress will finally be behind us.

I'm new here but going through this exact same issue with my mom's SSA account right now! This thread has been absolutely incredible - I've taken notes on all the strategies everyone shared. The pattern seems clear: call SSA at 8:00 AM on Tuesday-Thursday, ask specifically for "MySocialSecurity online account access" help, use Benjamin's exact script about email showing as registered but can't access, and don't hang up until they test the password reset. The success stories from Jacinda, Isaiah, and others using this approach are so encouraging! I'm calling tomorrow morning armed with all this knowledge. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and especially to Benjamin for the official SSA guidance - this community problem-solving is amazing!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with this exact issue right now - my MySocialSecurity account signup keeps saying my email is already in use, but I've never created an account before. Based on all the advice here, I'm planning to call SSA at 8:00 AM sharp tomorrow (Wednesday) and ask specifically for help with "MySocialSecurity online account access issues." I'll use Benjamin's script about my email showing as registered but not being able to access the account, and ask them to check for system-generated accounts from when I called their automated phone line years ago. The success stories from Isaiah, Jacinda, and others give me real hope this will get resolved quickly once I reach the right specialist. I'll make sure they test the password reset while I'm still on the call before hanging up. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - this community knowledge is invaluable!

This is such a comprehensive discussion - I'm learning so much from everyone's experiences! I'm 60 and considering my SS filing strategy, so this thread is incredibly timely for me. One additional consideration I haven't seen mentioned yet: if you do end up with the severance counting toward your 2025 earnings and benefits get withheld, make sure to keep track of exactly how much gets withheld. When SSA recalculates your benefits at FRA (as Anna mentioned), having your own records can help ensure they credit you correctly for all the withheld amounts. Also, I wanted to add that some companies have Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) that include retirement planning consultations. If your company offers this, the consultant might be able to help you navigate the severance classification conversation with HR from a benefits perspective. They often have experience with these types of situations and can frame the request in terms that HR understands. Harold, it sounds like you have several good options to explore. Between the Form SSA-131 route, potential payment timing negotiations, and the monthly earnings test for your first year of benefits, you're not necessarily stuck with a bad outcome. Keep us posted on how your conversations with HR go!

I'm a retirement benefits specialist who has helped many clients navigate this exact situation. The good news is that you have several viable options to explore, and it's not too late to potentially avoid the earnings test issue entirely. First priority: Contact your HR department IMMEDIATELY about Form SSA-131. Since your severance is based on 18 years of service rather than current work, you have a strong case for special payment classification. The key is getting HR to understand that this form protects both you and the company - it's not additional work for them, it's proper classification that benefits everyone. If Form SSA-131 doesn't work out, here are your backup options: 1. Request payment timing modifications (split between 2024/2026 or structured payments) 2. Use the monthly earnings test for your first benefit year (much more favorable if severance comes later in 2025) 3. Consider delaying your SS filing to January 2026 if financially feasible The monthly test is crucial to understand: in your first year of benefits, if you earn over the monthly limit ($1,860 in 2025), you lose benefits only for that specific month, not the entire year. This could significantly reduce any benefit loss. Document everything in writing with your employer. Even if they can't accommodate all requests, having the paper trail helps with SSA later. You're in a much better position than you think - don't panic, just act quickly on these conversations with HR.

I'm also turning 70 this year (in August) and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Just wanted to add one more consideration that I learned from my experience helping my parents with their Social Security applications - make sure you have all your documentation organized well before you apply in May/June. Besides the obvious documents like birth certificate and bank info for direct deposit, you might also need your most recent tax return, especially if you had any self-employment income in recent years. I also recommend having your spouse's Social Security number handy if you're married, as the application asks about household information. One thing that really helped my dad was creating a simple checklist of all the information needed before starting the online application. That way he didn't have to stop halfway through to hunt for documents. The application does let you save your progress, but having everything ready makes the process much smoother. Also, if you've moved recently or changed your name for any reason, make sure SSA has your current information on file before applying. You can update this through your my Social Security account online. The wait until September will definitely be worth it for that maximum benefit amount - you've come this far, so don't leave any money on the table by starting early!

Just to add another perspective as someone who recently went through this process - I turned 70 in December 2022 and can confirm everything others have said about waiting until your actual birth month. The delayed retirement credits really do make a huge difference! One thing I found helpful was setting up automatic transfers from my savings account to cover monthly expenses during the months leading up to my 70th birthday. Since I knew exactly when Social Security would start (December), I could plan those bridge payments in advance rather than having to think about it each month. Also, when you do apply online, pay attention to the direct deposit setup section. They'll ask for your bank's routing number and your account number - have a voided check handy or your bank statement, because you want to get this right the first time. There's nothing worse than having your first payment delayed because of incorrect banking information! The online application took me about 45 minutes to complete, and I received a confirmation number immediately. About 2 weeks later, I got a letter confirming my application was received and processing. My first payment arrived right on schedule the month after I turned 70. Hang in there - you've made it this far, and September will be here before you know it!

As someone who works in cybersecurity, I want to add a technical perspective to this excellent discussion. One thing scammers often do is "caller ID spoofing" - they can make their call appear to come from the real SSA phone number on your caller ID display. So even if the number looks official, that's not enough to verify legitimacy! Always use the callback method others have mentioned. Also, be aware that scammers are getting more sophisticated - some now know basic details about you from data breaches and social media, so they might reference real information to seem legitimate. The key is that they'll still ask you to "verify" information the real SSA already has, or they'll eventually get to the part where they ask for payment or immediate action. Stick to the verification protocols everyone has outlined here - they work!

This has been such an educational thread! As someone who's about to apply for Social Security benefits myself, I was already worried about scam calls, but reading through all these experiences has really opened my eyes to how sophisticated these scammers can be. The caller ID spoofing information is particularly alarming - I definitely would have been more trusting of a call that appeared to come from the official SSA number. What I'm taking away from all this excellent advice is that there's really no downside to being overly cautious. The verification methods everyone has shared (calling back through the official number, asking for employee IDs, requesting written documentation, checking MySSA account first) seem foolproof when used together. I especially appreciate learning that legitimate SSA representatives are trained to expect and encourage this kind of verification - that takes away the worry about seeming uncooperative. Thank you all for creating such a comprehensive guide to staying safe during the SSA application process!